Since bread is square, why is sandwich meat round?

Some pimento loaf ick is square.

When I was a kid I remember Oscar Meyer making square meat. I actually like that the shape of meat is different from the shape of bread. It’s visually more interesting when the meat sticks out at some parts and is tucked inside at others. It also offers more textual variety- meaty one bite, bready the next.

It’s likely due to the manufacturing process. Creating a round-shaped meat (think of a sausage) is much easier than forcing it to be square. Meat is poured into a synthetic casing which holds its shape, and the most natural shape is round.

@adrian, the most natural shape and the most cost effective. To force meat into a square casing requires a lot more material than a round casing. (Think perimeter of a circle and a square)

OTOH, isn’t there a fast-food chain that sells square hamburgers on round buns?

Bacause they don’t cut corners…..

@gail that would be Wendy’s…........and ham is often square also

@gooch; thanks. Remind me again why I don’t eat there? Lots of pigs where I live and none of them have square parts.

I think lunch meat is round because it used to be made like a sausage. Bologna (aka “baloney”) is one example, as is salami.